


Secret Mission

by AngelFromUnderneath



Series: Voyager Oneshots [3]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Adventure, Babysitting, Comfort, Cute, Exploring Voyager, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 11:06:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11576817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelFromUnderneath/pseuds/AngelFromUnderneath
Summary: While looking for Neelix, Naomi gets lost on the ship.Just some cute Naomi stuff, because she doesn't get enough attention ;)





	Secret Mission

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not all too familiar with Voyager's layout, so please don't kill me on that one.

She was a born explorer. 

Ever since Neelix had shown her around some parts of ship - the mess hall, for example - Naomi wanted to see more. She wanted to explore engineering and the science labs. She wanted to watch her mother work.

But, of course, she wasn't allowed to do all that.

"You'll see enough of working around here when you get older," her mother had told her when the little girl asked go with her one morning. 

That day, Naomi felt particularly bored in her mother's quarters - so she decided to call Neelix. He always told her the most intriguing stories about his home and the places he had seen.

But Neelix didn't answer. 

Maybe he was too busy cooking or helping out somewhere, she figured. 

It would be a while until her mother got back from her work shift - there was plenty of time to go look for Neelix and Naomi would definitely not lose the chance of exploring some more of Voyager. 

She felt like she was on an away mission - the ones Neelix always talked about. 

Naomi felt like a spy on a potentially dangerous ship. She hopped back and forth behind corners and workstations, so none of the 'potentially dangerous' crew on the 'ship of her away mission' would notice her. It was all a big, exciting game. 

From behind a bulkhead, she watched a group of laughing crewmembers exit a large room. The Holodecks! If she knew how to use them, Naomi would have definitely tried one of the programs. 

Neelix had told her that she could be the hero of any story on the Holodeck. Some day he wanted to show her, but, again, she would have to wait until she was old enough. 

But saving the universe in a Holonovel wasn't Naomi's current mission. She had to find Neelix. 

The way to the mess hall was easily found, she had been there many times. 

Sometimes the crew would celebrate an anniversary or birthday in there - or sometimes even a Talaxian holiday. Then Neelix would prepare all kinds of weird foods. 

But today the mess hall was only occupied by a few crewmembers Naomi didn't know. They didn't pay much attention to her either. 

To her dismay, Neelix wasn't there. She had to continue. But not without grabbing a quick snack.

Her hands sticky and her mouth covered with icing from the leftovers of a cake Neelix had prepared a few days back, Naomi continued on her way down the corridor. 

Soon she was faced with her first big obstacle. The turbolift. 

She knew how to use it - it was easy. One simply stepped inside and told the computer which deck the lift should go to. But what if someone else entered while she was in it?

Naomi knew that there was another way to the next deck - some kind of tubes she had overheard Lieutenant Paris and Ensign Kim talk about - but that would be too dangerous. Besides, what if she got stuck and didn't know how to call for help? Her secret mission would be exposed! 

No, she was better off taking her chances in the lift. 

The question was, where would she go? 

One deck up was the bridge, she was bound to get caught as soon as she stepped out of the lift. That wasn't an option.

One deck down was ... perfect. Crew quarters, a few bulkheads and computer terminals - and the captain's quarters, as far as she knew. 

Naomi checked if anyone was around - there wasn't - before she took off towards the lift doors, which obediently opened at her approach. 

"Deck ...--" 

Suddenly, a young crewman stepped into the lift behind her.

Oh no.

But he just nodded at her, telling the computer, "Deck 7." 

7? No, that was wrong. What could possibly be on deck 7? Had Naomi even been there before? She certainly couldn't remember. 

What deck were her mother's quarters on? Two? Four? Why couldn't she remember? 

Her first secret mission was taking a very wrong turn. 

When the crewman stepped out of the turbolift, Naomi saw no other choice than to follow him, but he soon took a turn and disappeared from her view. 

Now, where was she? Where was the lift? Whose quarters were on this deck?

Suddenly a horrible feeling of fear settled into Naomi's stomach. She was completely lost. 

This, exactly this was why she had always begged her mother for a combadge. But she was always told that she didn't need one yet. 

If only a member of the senior staff would walk past her now. Or Neelix. She wanted to find Neelix. 

Naomi leaned against one of the cold, metal bulkheads in the corridor and let herself slide to the ground. This wasn't good. It would probably be hours until her mother returned from duty and looked for her. 

All of a sudden the ship seemed much scarier, much darker than it had before. 

What if someone attacked them now? Naomi would be all on her own while the ship shuddered and buckled beneath her. A terrifying thought.

In all her worries and fear the little girl wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin against them, sobbing quietly. 

Without a warning, nor a sound, a shadow loomed over her small body, making her crawl even closer to the wall.

'Please don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me,' was all she could think. 

Maybe whoever was standing over her would read her mind and understand. She had heard of aliens who could do that. 

Yes, maybe Voyager had been taken over by some unknown alien monsters who took Neelix as their prisoner. And now they wanted Naomi!

Or maybe they wanted Captain Janeway and needed Naomi to show them the way to the bridge?

If they were, she wouldn't be much of a help to them.   
Through the blurry haze her tears were forming over her eyes, Naomi didn't realize that the shadow had shrunk and the person it belonged to was now crouching in front of her. 

"Naomi? What are you doing here?" 

Even though the voice was only whispering, Naomi recognized it immediately.

"I - I'm lost ..." she managed, wiping over her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. 

Her vision cleared, but the tears kept falling down her cheeks. 

The first thing she saw when she looked up was a pair of beautiful blue eyes.

Naomi had always found Captain Janeway's eyes beautiful. 

They lit up when she was happy or excited or exploring and they darkened when she was angry at someone - but now they were full of worry. 

"And what were you doing outside of your quarters?" 

Even though the captain's voice was calm, somewhat comforting, Naomi felt like she had completely disappointed her. 

"I ... I was looking for Neelix. ... I wanted to go on an adventure, be an explorer ... like you. ... I'm sorry ..." She started sobbing again. It felt horrible to have Captain Janeway look at her like that. 

Even though the little girl had made a mistake, Kathryn could understand her completely. 

"Come here," she gently took Naomi into her arms, feeling the girl's tears drop onto her uniform as her head rested on the captain's shoulder, "It's alright, don't worry. I'll take you back to your quarters." 

Naomi felt herself being lifted off the ground and carried back to the turbolift.

"Will you tell Mummy?" She sniffed, holding onto the captain's shoulder as she stepped into the lift.

"Hmm," Kathryn thought for a moment, "We'll see, alright? Now tell me, why were you looking for Neelix? He and Chakotay took one of the shuttles to explore the nebula near us." 

"Really? He didn't tell me," Naomi looked down, ashamed, "I wanted to ask him if he could play with me while Mummy is working." 

An idea crossed the captain's mind. "Listen," she told the little girl, those worried eyes lighting up with a smile, "I will tell your mother what you've been up to."

Naomi's expression fell.

"But, in exchange, I'll stay with you until she comes back. Deal?"

She nodded excitedly, flinging her arms around Kathryn's neck in a tight hug.

"Thank you!" 

When Samantha Wildman returned from her duty shift, she found a note waiting for her in her quarters instead of her daughter. 

Her eyes widened in wonder and curiosity when she read:

"Hope your shift wasn't too stressful.  
Meet us on Holodeck two if you're looking for Naomi.  
Kind regards, Captain Janeway

PS: Bring a paintbrush, Ensign."

Paintbrush? The Da Vinci program. 

Sure enough, when Ensign Wildman entered Holodeck two, she found her daughter - along with her captain - covered in paint from head to toe. A very amused Leonardo Da Vinci was watching them from another corner of the room. 

"Excuse my intruding," she couldn't help but laugh at the sight of them, "But how exactly did the two of you end up here? Naomi, did you leave our quarters?" 

Naomi almost dropped the paintbrush she was holding when her mother entered. 

"Mummy, I ..." she stammered, looking at Captain Janeway for help. 

Kathryn got the message, "She did, Samantha. But I've already talked to her and she has assured me that it won't happen again." 

When the ensign's confused look remained, she added, "Naomi was looking for Neelix when I found her. Seeing as he isn't here, I took on some of his ... 'duties'. I hope that's alright with you." 

"Oh, yes, that's so kind of you, Captain, I just thought that ... your schedule might be a little full to watch Naomi for an entire shift." Samantha replied rather shyly. 

Kathryn smiled, looking at the mess she and Naomi had made of Da Vinci's office, "Sometimes a little fun in between is necessary - and I'd be happy to watch over her again sometime."

"Well, did you enjoy yourself?" Samantha asked as she and Naomi walked back to their quarters. 

Naomi giggled, "Yes! Can we do that again?"

"Mess up Da Vinci's office? I'm sure Captain Janeway can arrange that," her mother laughed, wondering how mad the holographic inventor must be at the captain. 

Back on Holodeck two, Kathryn took a 360 degree turn to look at the mess they had made. 

"I'm sorry, Maestro." She sighed, looking up at the hologram, "I'll be sure to clean it up right away." 

"Ah, to be young," Leonardo reminisced, turning back to the plan he was creating. 

"Computer," Kathryn ordered before she left for the bridge, "Restore location to it's original state."


End file.
